News

HHS graduate wins prestigious UNC-Duke scholarship

By Bill Moss, Published: July 28, 2013

A 2013 Hendersonville High School graduate is among 29 students from around the globe who have accepted invitations to become Robertson Scholars, receiving full scholarships for either the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill or Duke University plus summer enrichment programs.

The Robertson Scholars Leadership Program was created in 2000 with a $24 million gift from Julian Robertson, a 1955 graduate of UNC, and his wife, Josie. Inspired by their sons — one of whom graduated from Duke in 1998, and another from UNC in 2001 — the Robertsons believed that each institution offered a distinctive undergraduate experience, but that the combination of the two promised a breadth and depth of resources that no other university could match. Since then, the program has graduated hundreds of leaders who are innovating across industries and communities around the globe.
The Hendersonville scholarship winner was Monique LaBorde, the daughter of Susan and Dr. Robert LaBorde. LaBorde, who will attend UNC, was among just five North Carolinians among the scholarship winners, who came from across the U.S. and six countries.
The Robertson Scholars program provides specialized offerings and customized programming meant to encourage students to realize their full leadership potential. The program funds tuition, room and board, fees and up to three summers of domestic and international experiences. Robertson Scholars attend one institution fulltime while taking advantage of the academic and extracurricular resources of both campuses.
The awards are granted based on academic distinction and intellectual curiosity, "out-sized impact as a leader within the student body and/or community" and character and integrity, the program's website said.